Two stage pyrolysis-catalysis of used tyres was undertaken to upgrade the derived oil to a highly aromatic oil suitable to be used as a chemical feedstock rather than a liquid fuel. The tyres were pyrolysed in a fixed bed reactor and the evolved pyrolysis gases were passed through a secondary fixed bed reactor containing zeolite catalyst. The pyrolysis reactor was maintained at 500 degreesC and the influence of catalyst temperature between 430 and 600 degreesC on the yield and composition of the derived oils was examined. Two zeolite catalysts were examined; a Y-type zeolite catalyst and zeolite ZSM-5 catalyst of differing pore size and surface activity. The influence of the catalyst was to reduce the yield of oil with a consequent increase in the gas yield and formation of coke on the catalyst. Single ring aromatic hydrocarbons, benzene, toluene and xylenes present in the oils showed a marked increase in the presence of the catalyst. Naphthalene and alkylated naphthalenes were also analysed and showed a similar marked increase in the concentration when a catalyst was present. The Y-type zeolite catalyst of larger pore size and higher surface activity was found to produce higher concentrations of aromatic compounds compared to the ZSM-5 catalyst. Increasing the catalyst temperature resulted in significant changes in the concentration of benzene, toluene, xylenes, naphthalene and the alkylated naphthalenes. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.